1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to strip type fastening devices and especially those used for securing the edges of carpets. More particularly this disclosure refers to an improved family of such fixtures that are less expensive and easier to use and which provide enhanced results.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Rhoads, U.S. D417,389, discloses an ornamental design for a tacking strip.
Watson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,191, discloses a concealed carpet fastener composed of an elongated metal strip bent longitudinally to constitute a fastener having two parallel sides, the lower side being perforated to permit permanent attachment of the fastener to the floor, and the upper side being provided with teeth or projections over the free edge of which the upper side the margin of the fabric is adapted to be folded, and which teeth or projections are adapted to engage the fabric at its under side, and retain the same against displacement of its aligned margin when the upper side of the fastener is pressed down upon the folded margin of the fabric to clamp the same.
McNicholas, U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,574, discloses a device comprising, a strip of flexible material formed with a lengthwise extending pocket and a coextending side section for abutting engagement with an upright surface, the strip provided with a lower face having adhesive material thereon for securing the strip to the surface of a floor adjacent the upright surface, a filler medium within the pocket, and anchoring elements extending through the pocket and the medium above the strip for securing carpets to the strip in adjusted position over the floor.
Karas, U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,674, discloses a concealed carpet fastener comprising an elongated metal strip having a bend intermediate the edges to provide upper and lower sections, the lower section having apertures therein to receive securing means whereby the fastener may be secured to the floor and the upper section having a smooth uninterrupted free edge about which the margin of the carpet may be folded, the upper section adapted to be located above the floor to receive the margin of the carpet there under, the upper section between the edge and bend being provided with means extending above the upper surface thereof for piercing the underside of the carpet to hold the carpet against relative movement back from the edge.
Jaasund, U.S. Pat. No. 2,611,918, discloses a combined carpet fastener and binder which comprises a boundary strip to be nailed to the floor co-extensive with one edge of the carpet, an elongated bendable U-shaped gripper element having opposed sets of teeth to engage the edge of the carpet, and flexible means supporting the gripper element above the binder strip, the boundary strip being disposed parallel to and at predetermined distance from an adjacent wallboard to provide a recess into which the gripping element and its flexible supporting means may be reversely bent after the carpet edge has been gripped whereby the carpet is fastened and stretched taut over the boundary strip. Brownstein, U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,453, discloses a carpet-securing device an elongated body member comprising two joined adjacent sections in angular relation, one of the sections sloping downwardly in one direction and the other section sloping downwardly in the opposite direction, a plurality of prongs in longitudinally spaced relation along the juncture of the two sections, the prongs being formed from the material from one of the sections and extending upwardly from the other of the sections in a common plane therewith, and a base portion integral with each of the sections and adapted to rest upon a floor surface, the base portions being disposed on opposite sides of the prongs and in laterally spaced relation therewith, whereby the prongs will be held in stable operative position.
Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,115, discloses a carpet gripper suitable for installation in both long and short strips, the combination of: a long and narrow strip of a relatively light colored material, the strip having an upper surface provided with a longitudinal band adjacent one edge and of a relatively dark color, the upper surface having a shallow groove extending longitudinally there along parallel to an edge of the strip whereby installation nails may be driven through the strip at the groove at any point along the strip; a plurality of spaced nails projecting into the strip through the groove and extending there above, the nails being of a dark color contrasting with the color of the material and a plurality of carpet hooking means having pointed ends projecting upward from the strip.
Goss et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,173, discloses a carpet gripper, the combination of: a long, narrow strip of wood having upper and lower sides and outer and inner edges; the lower side of the strip being engagable with a floor and the outer edge thereof being engagable by a down turned edge of carpeting overlying the upper side of the strip; an outer, upper integral flange extending longitudinally of the strip and projecting laterally outwardly from the outer edge thereof and having an upper surface forming an outward extension of the upper side of the strip; an inner, lower integral flange extending longitudinally of the strip and projecting laterally inwardly from the inner edge thereof and having a lower surface forming an inward extension of the lower side of the strip; the upper flange projecting laterally outwardly from the outer edge of the strip and the lower flange projecting laterally inwardly from the inner edge of the strip substantially equal distances so that the strip is substantially symmetrical in cross section and a plurality of carpet hooking elements carried by the strip and projecting upwardly above the upper side of the strip and inclined outwardly toward the outer edge of the strip to secure carpeting overlying the upper side of the strip.
Kyriakos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,738. discloses a tack strip of the type formed from a length of flexible, non-resilient metal longitudinally folded to provide first and second angularly disposed flanges, both serrated to provide a series of tabs separated by notches with the first flange to underlie a margin of upholstery material and the second flange provided with a series of projections overlying the first flange and constituting anchoring tacks when the second flange is folded over the driven flat against the material. The invention provides each tab of the first flange with a hole positioned always to receive one projection and the notches of the first flange to receive the other projections unless the strip is so bent as to close them.
Carder, U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,542, discloses carpet securing strips where the strips are designed to be manufactured from relatively thin or light gauge metal or plastic; each having an elongate base section designed to be secured by nails and/or adhesive to a floor, and having an offset carpet-gripping section which in one embodiment is designed in use to be hammered or bent downwardly relative to the base section and over the edge of a section of carpeting to secure the latter in place, and which in a second embodiment has formed in its longitudinal edge a plurality of spaced teeth which imbed in the bottom of a carpet to hold its edge in place. In the second embodiment a plurality of longitudinally spaced scallops or dimples are formed in the strip to increase its structural rigidity; and in each embodiment adhesive strips are used to help secure the carpeting to the strips.
Saotome, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,889, discloses a carpet retention device or anchor that includes a flat, thin, floor engaging flange having spaced-apart openings for reception of nails to anchor the retention device to the underlying floor. A thin web extends upwardly from one edge of the base flange to a height equal to or less than the height of the carpet pad. A plurality of tacks or pointed projections extend transversely and slightly downwardly from the upper edge of web to engage into the underside of an overlying carpet.
Anderson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,754 discloses an improved synthetic resinous formulation utilized to form a substrate for retention of carpet while securing tack and pre-nail elements in strip form, and with the pre-nails being adapted to secure the substrate in place along the edge surfaces of the floor and with the tack elements being adapted to retain the edge portions of a carpet in place thereon. The substrate is characterized in that it is formed essentially of a filled polyurethane compound which possesses unusual mechanical properties particularly desirable in the formation of carpet retaining strips. These properties include the flexibility to permit the strip to conform to an irregular floor surface, and furthermore can be readily cut and notched to allow it to be bent to conform to an inside or outside corner. Because of the excellent plastic memory, the carpet retaining tacks are held at a desired angle even when subjected to substantial lateral tension caused by the stretched in-place carpet. The formulation of the polyurethane includes a prepolymer comprising a polyetherpolyol (35%-40%), a cross-linking agent (15%-20%), a filler consisting essentially of inert ingredients (10%-36%), a catalyst (10%-15%) and a chemical blowing or frothing agent (mechanical) (3%-5%), and wherein methylene di-isocyanate is added to the prepolymer components blend (component B), the prepolymer consisting of 80% of the blend, balance methylene di-isocyanate (component A) (20%).
Morrow et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,980 discloses a carpet securement that includes a polymeric body with a longitudinally extending groove in its bottom surface. Tacks or other fasteners protrude upwardly through the body. The tack heads or other drive elements of the fasteners may be lodged within the groove and serve as a bearing element to help support that portion of the body bridging the groove. The body may also be provided with a downwardly projecting rib-like support rail inside the groove to help support the body. A groove minimizes the weight of a polymer incorporated in the securement body and further permits flush seating of the fasteners without localized overstressing of the polymer. In an extrusion process useful in making the body or other polymeric elements, sizing dies are provided with devices for maintaining a fluid film between an extrudate passed through the die and the contact surfaces of the die itself.
Latour, U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,874, discloses a carpet fastening system in which a fastening strip is affixed to the back-side of the wall board or the wall baseboard, preferably with the wall engagement portion being substantially flat, presenting either a flat, face-to-face, extended surface interface with the back-side of the wall or at least preferably a continuous or at least substantially extended edge in engagement with the back-side, bottom edge of the wall baseboard. For ease in installation, the fastening strips may be installed either at the same time as the baseboards are installed or even when the wall boards are being installed. As a result of engaging the back-side of the wall the fastening strips are firmly affixed to the wall and provide secure, strong affixation to the wall, securely anchoring the strips and hence the carpet, preventing any migration of the carpet during its typically expected life-time and longer. The embodiments are described, each of which engage and interlock with the backside of the wall, either in a sandwich arrangement or an angled back straight edge engagement with a lip formed between the wall board and the baseboard. However, in all cases, when a force is applied to the fastening strip in a direction tending to pull it away from the wall, the force causes the movement resistance engagement of the strip to proportionately increase due to the interfacing with the back-side of the wall.
Dunne, U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,804 discloses an improved carpet tack strip formed from synthetic chemical and natural materials which include a selective amount of a polyethylene material of between 40% to 60% by weight, which is mixed with a selected amount of polypropylene material having about 1% to 10% by weight and including therein a fine powdered wood material having a selected amount of between 60% to about 40% by weight, wherein the mixture thereof is extruded from an extruding apparatus, thereby producing a continuous elongated homogeneous plastic strip that when cooled is cut in predetermined lengths.
The related art described above discloses a very wide variety of carpet clamping and securing devices. The present disclosure however distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary and detailed description.